


Switch

by FandomLastsForever



Series: IronTai Week [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bodyswap, Established Relationship, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prosthesis, Self-Esteem Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 03:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14228697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLastsForever/pseuds/FandomLastsForever
Summary: James and Taiyang have been together for a little while, but have yet to get beyond cuddles and kisses.Thanks to a mishap courtesy of Ozpin though, the two grow a little closer.





	Switch

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it's late! I forgot to post.  
> Day 3 IronTai Week: Body Swap!

"You know, when I said I wanted your body, this isn't what I meant."

"Tai, this isn't the time-"

"Sure it is!"

James shook his head in exasperation. Or rather, it wasn't his head. Ozpin had intended to give them both a shifting ability similar to Qrow's own bird form. However, during the process something had gone wrong. They were told that in the morning they'd awaken as the animal they were meant to change into. Instead, they woke up in each other's bodies.

And James was not too pleased about it.

"Listen," Taiyang groaned. "Oz will be here in an hour to fix it. In the meantime, we need to relax and just enjoy this."

"Enjoy this?" James glared at himself, nearly startled by the sudden increase in temperature in the room. "How are we supposed to enjoy this?"

"Lots of ways. For example, this." Taiyang pulled James close, smiling as he looked down. "We can snuggle, and I get to be the bigger spoon this time."

James rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh. "Taiyang, you don't need to be the bigger person to be the big spoon."

"I know, but it's different when I'm the short one."

"You're just enjoying being tall, aren't you?"

"Yep."

"Of course you are." James stepped back and went over to the mirror, taking a good look at his current body. He couldn't help but wonder if this was how Ozpin felt with every new form. "So what do you propose we do until he gets here? Besides cuddles."

"For starters, I'm taking off this damn coat." Taiyang proceeded to undo the buttons, ignoring the look of horror James was making on his face. "You need to have different versions of uniforms made. This coat is like a sauna here in Vale. And why did you go to sleep in your uniform anyway?"

"Don't!" James ran over, clutching the coat in a death grip. He was shaking, and he could swear he was on the verge of crying. James felt the heat in the room fading. Instead there was a sudden chill coming from his right leg. He glanced down and saw the ice Dust tattoo glowing softly.

_Right leg. Oh god, I have a right leg! Why didn't I notice that before?_

"Jim, what's wrong?" Tai asked. "James, you're crying."

"H-huh?" James glanced over to the mirror, surprised to see Taiyang's eyes take on a darker blue than before.

_Why am I getting so emotional right now? And why are Tai's eyes darker now? Is this part of his Semblance? Or something else?_

"James, hey, relax." Taiyang gently held his hands, causing James' grip to loosen. "Look, you gotta relax. You're gonna wear me, you, us out. Breath."

James took a deep breath and began to focus. It was hard to get a good handle on things. He wasn't used to his emotions showing so readily. That wasn't to say he deliberately tried to be distant. He just couldn't afford to let his fear show to those around him.

Especially around Tai.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Don't apologize," Taiyang said. "If you won't want me to take anything off, I won't. Your body, your rules. That still hasn't changed. Okay?"

"Okay. Same for you."

Taiyang gently wiped the tears away before pulled James toward the couch. "Come on. Let's sit and wait for Oz, okay?"

"Okay."

James didn't argue, and let Tai take control of the situation. He couldn't focus. Everything felt heavy, and yet he didn't have all the extensive prosthetics. There was a dull ache all over him. Dull aches he was used to but this was different from before.

_Is this what Tai feels on a daily basis?_

"Hey James?" Tai asked. "The reason you never strip down in front of me...it's because of your right side, isn't it?"

_How did he...wait, he's in my body. He probably feels everything._ "Yeah, that's it."

"I didn't realize they were that extensive." Taiyang flexed the right fingers, smiling fondly. "They're kinda heavy. And hot. And hurt a little."

"Old model," James explained. "Haven't had a chance to get the upgrade yet, and it has a better cooling system. Should be going in for it next month."

"Next month? You were planning to get an upgrade after a magic animal power? Isn't that, you know, really dumb?"

"Excuse me?"

"Like," Tai stammered. "What if you were able to shape shift, but then got the upgrade, and found that only part of you could change now? Or you could change, but the old prosthetics changed too. Like, they'd be enchanted or something."

James went to argue, but stopped himself. As certain as he was that it wouldn't happen, there still wasn't a guarantee. If it turned out his right side was also enchanted once he gained the shape shifting power, he'd have to ensure that it wasn't recycled. Even if he was the General, it'd be kind of hard to explain why he needed out of date parts of his old body.

Tai gave him a quick peck on the cheek, pulling him back to reality. "You really didn't think about it, huh?"

"No, I didn't." In hindsight, asking Ozpin to give him this ability was a rather foolish move. He hadn't thought it through entirely. And normally, that was one of the few things he was good at.

_Why didn't I think it through entirely? Why did I agree so readily? Why did we?_

_Why did Tai?_

"Hey Tai?" James asked. "Why did you agree to let Oz turn you into an animal? What was it you wanted to turn into?"

"Oh, that?" Taiyang smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. "I wanted to turn into a falcon."

"A falcon?"

"Yeah. A bird like that can fly pretty dang far. Figured it'd be great to visit you with."

James gave him a playful smack on the left arm, nearly forgetting that it was his own body he was hitting.  "You seriously put me at the top of your priorities when deciding on accepting magic powers?"

"Well yeah," Tai said. "We rarely get to visit anyway, and costs add up. Figured it would help? I mean, it works for Qrow, so why not me?"

"I suppose that's fair." James noticed his own body sweating a little. He never usually did.

_But I'm usually the one actually in it._

"Tai?"

"Yeah?"

"If you're overheating, you can take off the over layers."

Taiyang looked at him, perplexed. "Are you sure? If you don't want me to see-"

"You're going to overheat, and judging by how little control over your body I have, you must be having some trouble."

"That's an understatement," Tai laughed. "Alright. Let's get the outer layers off. Mind giving me a hand with it? You've got about, what, a thousand buttons on this thing?"

"About less than one percent of that, I think."

James and Tai sat on the edge of their seats as James proceeded to undo the buttons, taking it slow so as not to panic again. He'd hoped he'd never have to show him. But there was no getting around it.

Taiyang gently lay his hands on James' shoulders, giving him a reassuring smile. "Look, Jim. I'm not gonna run away after seeing them."

"You're...you're okay with this? Me being half machine?"

"Of course I am. I'm not freaked out by having to be the one with them for a little while, so why would I be freaked out by you having them all the time." He rested his forehead against his, gently caressing his cheek with his right hand. "I don't care about that. I care about you. These keep you alive and here with me. Why would I ever not be alright with them?"

A wave of relief seemed to wash over him as James listened to Taiyang's words. He'd been so afraid that Tai would be disgusted or frightened of just how much of him wasn't human anymore.

But he wasn't afraid.

James let out a sigh, only now noticing the heat radiating from him again. "You do know how far they go...right?"

"Yeah, I can kinda feel it." Taiyang smirked, and James felt his heart skip a beat.

_Is that what I look like?_

"Maybe," Tai whispered, "the living room isn't the best place to be having this talk?"

"You might be right," James agreed.

"Upstairs?"

"Upstairs."

 

* * *

 

 

Ozpin sat on the sofa, waiting while Qrow made a fresh pot of coffee. They'd been called earlier to deal with a rather odd problem. They had intended to turn Taiyang into a bird and James into either a wolf or a fox. A creature that could survive the cold. But instead, they were in each other's bodies.

And currently locked inside the master bedroom with James' tie on the door.

"You know," Qrow laughed, "I never expected this to be a thing you could do Oz."

"Believe me," Ozpin sighed. "I'm just as surprised as you are. But I think I know how to reverse it. We just have to wait."

"Until those two are done with their 'conversations'?"

"Precisely."

"And how long would that be?"

"No clue. Tai's got quite the stamina." Qrow shrugged, walking over with a tea tray. "Maybe this will be good for them. They've been staring at each other non-stop for weeks with 'that look' anyway."

"Maybe." Ozpin smiled, shaking his head in amusement.

_At least things seemed to have worked out for them._

**Author's Note:**

> Not my best, but not the worst either.  
> Thanks for reading!


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